When I describe...

the principles of Bertholy to my golfing friends, they usually are skeptical at first. I find it illuminating to use an example of throwing a baseball to help them understand.

First I have them imagine that they are holding a baseball in their dominant throwing hand and I tell them to wind up and pretend to throw it. I then demonstrate it myself and explain what's happening. Almost all males have the same kind of throw. They wind up, start with the legs, rotate the hips hard, and then move the throwing elbow forward while the throwing hand stays back (maintaining a full bend in their throwing elbow and wrist.) The last action is of the hand coming forward, after the elbow has reached its maximum excursion forward, and the wrist snapping as the hand releases the ball.

I then have them switch the imaginary ball to their non-dominant throwing hand and pretend to throw it again. All of the non ambidextrous folks perform the same kind of throw with their non-dominant side. They wind up, the legs and the hips remain stationary, the throwing hand and shoulder are thrust forward, the throwing elbow stays back and the arm/wrist are straightened. The result is a powerless throw with poor direction that looks a lot like a shot put throw, with the legs and hips reacting to the action of the arm/shoulder (so they don't fall over.)

When I explain to them that the non-dominant side baseball throw is exactly how they are currently swinging a golf club, and that the dominant side baseball throw is how they should be swinging a golf club correctly, the light bulb goes off. When you throw a baseball are you using a lot of force in your dominant shoulder/arm/hand? You bet, but it is a very different type of action then what you are used to with a non-dominant side throw. Are you trying to straighten your throwing arm when you hurl a baseball? Absolutely not! But it happens anyway ... at the last possible second.

Programs like Bertholy or Blueprint will train you how to make that dominant side baseball style throwing action with a golf club. It won't be quick. Just think how long it would take you to learn how to throw a baseball with your non dominant side as proficiently and thoughtlessly as your dominant side.